Thomas Bilitewski

Dr. Thomas Bilitewski is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at Oklahoma State University, where he directs the Theoretical Quantum Science research group. A theoretical physicist specializing in atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) physics and condensed matter theory, Dr. Bilitewski’s research explores the complex behaviors of quantum many-body physics, quantum simulation, and entanglement generation.

Dr. Bilitewski's research program is externally supported by federal funding, including active grants from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). He serves as a co-Principal Investigator for the $3 million NSF NRT ATTAQ program, an initiative that pioneers transdisciplinary graduate training at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Information Science.

He is deeply committed to collaborative research, routinely partnering with experimental physicists to translate theoretical predictions into actionable applications for quantum-enhanced sensing, metrology, and computation.

Brief Bio

I obtained my PhD degree in Physics from Cambridge University, UK,  attending Trinity College, under the supervision of Nigel Cooper, and Bacehlor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Physics from LMU and TU in Munich, Germany.

Before joining OSU I held postdoctoral positions at JILA (CU Boulder + NIST) working in the group of Ana Maria Rey, and at the Max-Planck-Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems (Dresden) working with the director Roderich Moessner.

Research Interests

My main research interests lie in quantum science, in the areas of atomic-molecular-optical (AMO) and condensed matter theory, focussing on (quantum) many-body physics, quantum simulation, (non-equlibrium) dynamics and generation of entanglement.

On the condensed matter side, I've worked on (classical) spin systems, novel phases that appear in them, and their exotic many-body dynamics, chaos and hydrodynamics. On the quantum side I've worked on a variety of topics, ranging from time-dependent quantum dynamics and Floquet systems, over synthetic dimensions to SU(N) Fermi gases, and quantum spin dynamics of long-range interacting systems, with a particular interest in quantum metrology and spin squeezing.

A main driving motivation of my theoretical work is to provide insightful explanations for experimental results and actionable realistic proposals for the application and exploration of fundamental physics. In my group we enjoy close collaboration with leading experimental groups, ensuring theoretical models are guided by recent novel experimental capabilities. Our research attempts to open up practical new avenues for advancing quantum simulation, quantum information science, and quantum metrology utilizing ultra-cold atomic and molecular setups.

You can find more information on my research at https://www.thomas-bilitewski.com/ and learn about my research team at https://cas.okstate.edu/physics/about_us/dr_bilitewskis_lab/

Research Areas & Expertise

• Quantum Information Science (QIS)
• Quantum Many-Body Physics
• Atomic, Molecular, and Optical (AMO) Theory
• Condensed Matter Theory
• Quantum Information Science and AI

Grants & Awards

• Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Grant: $600,000 award as Principal Investigator to develop theoretical frameworks for the spatio-temporal control of complex quantum systems, operating in collaboration with the University of Oklahoma.
• National Science Foundation (NSF) NRT Award: $3,000,000 award as Co-Principal Investigator for the "Accelerating Transdisciplinary Training of an Oklahoma Workforce for the Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Revolution" (ATTAQ) program. This initiative integrates deep theoretical, laboratory, and professional training in AI and QIS